Hydraulic mold and press



Nov. 17, 1931. H. E. HAMMER HYDRAULIC MOLD AND PRESS 3 Sheets-Shet FiledJune 7. 1930 ATTORNEY.

Nov. 17, 1931. H. HAMMER HYDRAULIC MOLD AND PRESS Filed June 7, 1930 3Sheets-Sheet 2 m a FpJ l O k 7.5 y 7 X T 7g max A a INVENTOR.aro//fi/yxmme/g A TTORNE Y.

Nov. 17, 1931. H. E. HAMMER 1,832,020

HYDRAULIC MOLD AND PRESS Filed June 7, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 f I INI' ENTOR.

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Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES HAROLD E. HAMMER, OF DALLAS, TEXASHYDRAULIC MOLD AND rnnss 7 Application filed June 7, 1930. Serial No.459,724.

My invention relates to improvements in molds and presses for moldingobjects of a solid or hollow nature with or without designs or panels,and relates further to certain mechanical features whereby such articlesmay be molded by hydraulic pressure.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a molding apparatus ofthis nature whereby any moldable or plastic composition may be moldedunder heat of high temperatures or of low temperatures, or a combinationsuch that there may be a change of temperature from hot to cold, or viceversa; or that one part of the mold may be one temperature or changeabletemperature, and another part of the mold may be the same or differenttemperature.

My invention further provides a molding apparatus of the nature referredto whereby articles may be molded almost automatically and very quicklywith less consumption of hydraulic power than is usually required.

In the drawings forming part of this specification:

Figure 1 represents a front elevational view of the apparatus embodyingmy invention, the view partly in section.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof, partly broken away.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the upper stationaryplaten and the lower platen and illustrating the mold parts, preparatoryto compressing the molding material.

Figure 4 is view similar to Figure 3 and illustrating the platens in afurther advanced position preparatory to compression of the material.

Figure 5 represents an enlarged detailed 40 view of the platens and moldparts when fully compressed down upon the material being molded, theview being partly in section.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional View, taken along the line 6-6 of Figure3.

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 7 7 of Figure 4.

Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the upper part of the platesforming the mold box; and

Figure 9 is a detail View showing rabbeted connection of the upperplates of the mold box from the bottom. 9

In carrying out my invention I provide a press having a base 1,including a cylinder 2 and the usual movable ram 3 which carries on itsupper end the lower or movable platen 5. On this lower platen is mountedthe detachably secured core or cores consisting of one or a plurality ofcore parts, or the male part of the mold 6. For the purpose ofillustration I have shown the male part of the mold 6 of a form formolding a battery box of bituminous material, which material sets inaboutone minute, and my improved apparatus embodied in the press, whichcan be operated by a competent operator in a fraction of a minute, moldsthe article almost automatically. The mold 6 is cored or drilled topermit the circulation of any heating or cooling fluid or gas. This coreis designed to form the inside, and fitted to co-operate with theplates, and thus at the lower head, seal the mold at 2, thus preventingthe stock from coming out, as pressure is exerted on the material.

Thelower platen is movable up and down and guided by the strain rods 7.The up er or stationary platen 4 carries the detachably secured andhinged plate assembly, or female part of the mold, by any means such aswith bolts. There is provided an upper cylinder 8 secured to the upperhead or stationary platen and the piston 9 through which the piston rod10 transmits power to the cross head 11 which moves the mold ring or diebox or plate clamping member 12 by the rigid rods'13. The mold ring ordie box 12 is cored or jacketed to permit heating or cooling, andprovides a means for retaining the mold plate or lining tightly. Theinside is machined at an angle, or tapered, so as to wedge the femalepart of the mold or plates tightly together. This mold box is preferably guided from lateral motion by bearings in the head where the rodspass through.-

Hooks 14 being fastened to the extended rods 13 are likewise rigid withthe mold ring, and are jointed to swing outward, so that when they areheld outwardly and high pressure fluid admitted under the piston, the

lower platen is not pulled up, as these hooks ordinarily function whilein production. Thus the lower or male part of the mold may be easilycleaned, inspected or repaired.

Adjustably screwed onto the rods 13 are nuts 15 or collars which forcedown upon a forked lever 16 after the -mold ring has cleared-the bottomof the hinged plates 17, and thus with the point x as a fulcrum, liftplate operating ring 18 which in turn automatically pulls up the hingedplates 17 through plate operating rods 19.

The ate assembly consists of two end plates 1 7, two side plates 17 andan upper plate 17 which are hinged as shown, thus being articulated.These end and side plates open out mechanically and release the moldedarticle to the operators hand, which is placed under the platevassembly, after the mold ring has'cleared the bottom of the platesufficiently. v

The inside of these plates are machined to give the desired outsideappearance on the molded object as to paneling, shape or design. Theoutside of the plates are tapered to conform with the inside of the moldring, and thus are held tightly at the rabbeted corners to give verylittle fin or flash on the finished product. The complete mold,therefore, consists of mold plates and core, with intervening space toform the molded object.

To overcome friction and assure positive plate closure, I have providedsprings Y under the forked levers 16, or a cable, running up above andover a pulley to a suspended weight which will assure positive closure.It may be desirable to haveone plate, preferably the front or operatingside plate as at 17' to open up higher than the side plates in case thepress is narrow and thus permitting only the end plates to open enoughtofree the molded object. In this case the lower nuts of one of the rods19 are removed, in order to facilitate this further movement, and theoperator, with one hand, insures the closing of this front plate. Alsoit may be advisable to have the hooks 14 long enough in many cases, sothat the mold ring will move up sufficiently before pulling up the coreor cores and lower platen, to give access for cleaning or lubrication onthe core or closing part of the core 6 to reduce wear and gouging, andallow the mold ring to tightly close the plates before the stock hasreceived pressure. Also this advance movement of the mold ring willbring the material to a condition where hydraulic pressure is requiredand give time for the operation of the main ram change to high pressure,while the stock is practically under no strain or pressure.

By use of the upper cylinder, which is usually small and takes but asmall quantity of high pressure fluid, the major movement of the mainram which is large,-re-

spectively, is actuated without the expense of a low pressure pump, andextra and complicated and costly valve, or the use of a large quantityof costly high pressure fluid, to bring the main ram to the uppermostposition where high pressure is required to compress or force the stockto the required shape and density.

In the operation of the apparatus, when the mold ring is down againstthe lower platen and the )lates ooened a wei hed mass of plasticmaterial A is rolled into a ball, and placed on the core or male part ofthe mold. Hydraulic power is applied under the piston, while the lowerram is connected to a reservoir of fluid overhead, and thus the moldring is brought up, then the core with its lower platen and main ram, bymeans of the hooks, or other mechanical devices or linkages. Vhile themain ram is traveling upwardly, reservoir fluid flows into the maincylinder. By the time the top of the mold ring reaches a position nearthe bottom of the plates, the latter have closed automatically, sincethe nuts 15 on the rods 13 have moved up, thus plate operating ring 18is forced down by spring Y or cable previously mentioned closing theplates. The mold ring, continumg up, encircles the plates and continuesto lift the main ram, lower platen and 1 core, and the material beginsto press or spread out to the form in the mold. As the mold ring comesup to the uppermost position, or against the head or upper platen, theplates are wedged tightly together. At this uppermost position of themold ring, the lower cylinder connection is cut off from the reservoiras at B and connected to the hydraulic line, thus closing the mold underhigh pressure. After the plastic material has set, the main cylinder iscut off from the hydraulic pressure line and again connected to thereservoir at B. Hydraulic pressure is applied above the piston andforces the mold lea ring, likewise main ram, lower platen and the core,down, thus breaking the mold. As

actuated rams, a stationary platen carried on the upper ram, a movableplaten on the lower ram, a bed plate and portion of a mold carried onthe movable platen; a plurality of plates swingably mounted on the underside of said upper platen and constituting the a3;

upper part of the mold; and a mold clamping member for holding thecomplete mold parts in molding position; said plates and clamping memberbeing tapered so as to wedge the plates onto and around the lower partof the mold; said plates having their inner surfaces machined toprovide'desired outside appearance of the molded article and rabbeted atthe corners of the plates to eliminate fin or flash of the articlemolded.

2. A molding press of the character described, comprising an upper ramand a lower ram, each ram having a platen and carrying mold parts; themold parts of the upper platen mounted to be swung outwardly andinwardly in the molding operation in bringing the parts of the moldtogether and in releasing the article molded; said movements beingaccomplished by means pivotally mounted on the upper platen and havingconnection with said upper mold parts, in conjunction with a cross headcarried by the upper ram, whereby said upper mold parts are swunglaterally as the cross head is moved vertically.

3. A molding press of the character described and as claimed in claim 2,said means for accomplishing the swinging movement of said upper moldparts including parts associated with said cross-head for imparting apositive opening and closing movement to the upper mold parts.

a. A molding press of the character de scribed and as claimed in claim1, and including a piston and a rod, said rod connected to a cross head,rods carried on the cross head and traversing said upper platen andhaving members pivoted to their lower ends, whereby said lower platen israised upwardly in bringing the upper and lower mold parts together inthe molding of the article; and means carried on the rods for actuatingthe opening and closing means for moving said upper mold parts to andfrom closed position.

A. molding press of the character described and as claimed in claim 1,said plates being hin ed to the upper platen and designed to be movedoutwardly to release the molded article; one of said plates adapted tobe raised higher than the others to accommodate the structure torestricted space.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HAROLD E. HAMMER.

